We Could Make a Difference in One Person’s Life
Providing Spiritual and Physical Aid to Hurting People Around the World
Each year we seem to be reminded of how fortunate we are here in the United States especially when confronted with the great needs of others around the world. Every holiday season as we sit down to tables of abundance in warm homes surrounded by healthy friends and families, we feel blessed and humbled knowing that many others don’t share in our fortune. As such, we constantly strive to find ways to reach out to others in order to share what we have.
A few years ago, our staff wanted to get involved together as a group in a project that would allow us to offer some small gift to someone less fortunate. We knew that we couldn’t change the entire world, but we also knew we could make a difference in one person’s life – even if just for one day. So we went in search of an organization that we felt would allow us that opportunity. That’s when we discovered the Samaritan’s Purse.
The “Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world.” They send simple gift-filled shoeboxes to children around the world through their program called Operation Christmas Child. Good Samaritans (like you) fill shoe boxes with simple items such as tooth brushes, soaps, pencils, paper, batteries, small toys and other items – include a personal note if they like – and drop them off at designated drop-off locations with $7 donation to cover shipping costs.
Collection week for the Samaritan’s Purse is scheduled for November 18–25, 2013. “For locations and hours of collection visit their Drop-Off Locations page where you can find the nearest place to take your shoe box by entering your ZIP Code or you can call 1-800-353-5949. You can also send your shoebox gift to: Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child 801 Bamboo Road Boone, NC 28607.”
Our staff would like to encourage all of you to consider participating with us in this very simple act of kindness. It doesn’t cost a lot of money and can mean a big difference in a child’s life just to know that a stranger would care.
If you live in Gilroy, California or Monterey, California, here are two hotel drop-off locations:
Gilroy Best Western PLUS Forest Park Inn
375 Leavesley Rd, Gilroy, CA 95020
Phone: (800) 780-7234
Monterey Bay Park Hotel
1425 Munras Ave, Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 649-1020
Written by Laura Wrede, local freelance writer and photographer